Detachable button



Sept. 26, 1933- cs. A. HOLMES DETACHABLE BUTTON Filed June 1, 1932 Patented sepihzfi, 1933 1,928,591 DETACHABLE BUTTON George A. Holmes, Newton Center, Mass, assignor to United-Carr Fastener Corporation, Cambridge, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 1, 1932. Serial N0.61 4 ,685

10 Claims. (01.24410) My invention aims to provide improvements in fastener installations particularly of the detachable button type.

In the drawing which illustrates a preferred 5 embodiment of my invention;-.

Figure 1' is a vertical section through a detachable button installation, the attaching member being shown in elevation; j Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionof the parts shown in Figure l, the parts of the button being shown 'in position for removal of the button from the attaching member;

Fig. 3 is an under side elevation of the button member; Fig. 4 isan elevation view of the clutch member of the button; i

Fig. 5 is a side elevation ofthe clutch member shown in Fig. l; and' v I y Fig. 6 is a perspective .view of the end portion of a tool for operation of a clutch member to permit detachment of the button from the installation.

In the specific embodiment of my invention selected for illustration by the drawing, I have shown a button installation which includes a but ton for passage through a buttonhole and which is attached to its carrying medium in such a manher that itgmay be removed when desirable. One specificuse'of my detachable buttonwhich comes to mind is in connection with a fastening means for use on compartment curtains of railway sleeping'cars. In the past, ordinary buttons have been used for fastening purposes, but they were so large-"that they very easily became broken or detached during the laundrying process of the curtains. Byusing my improved button,,it is a very simple matter to detachthe buttons from the curtains, before laundrying, by the aidof a simple tool. The buttons may be attached without the use of that tool. Therefore the buttons may be attached and detached very readily. I

My improved button installation as illustrated includes a carrying medium 1, herein shown of and an attaching member 3,,as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The button 2 has 'a'body portion comprising aback plate 4 having a hollow boss 5 pressed therefrom and a front plate 6 having its periphery rolled over the periphery of the back plate 4. These two plate members are so shaped that when assembled they are spaced from each other. In the space between the front plate Sand the back: plate 4 I have assembled a clutch member '7 also provided with a boss portion 8 which extends into the boss pordouble thickness material, a metallic button 2 tion 5 of the back plate 4, The peripheral portion of 'theclutch member '7 is cut by slits 9 '(Fig.

A) and portions, thereof" adjacent to the edge are struck outwardly to form spring arms 10,

as clearly illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. When the clutch member is assembled within the button these spring arms 10 bear against the front plate 6 and normally press the clutch member into the position shown in Fig. 1. The boss portion 8 is divided longitudinally by slits 11 to permit expansion and contraction thereof for purposes more fully hereinafter described. Therefore, the outer diameter of the boss 8 is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the boss 5 to permit expansion. I

The free end portion 12 of the boss 5 (Figs.1 and 2) is turned inwardly upon itself to provide a reduction in the internal diameter of the boss 5 adjacent to the free end'portion 12 thereof. The free end portion of the boss 8 is reduced in diameter to provide a portion 13 which fits the inwardly turned free end portion 12 of the boss5 to prevent expansion of the boss when the-parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1. The free end portion 14 of the boss.-8, is also turned inwardly upon itself to make engagement with the neck 15 of the attaching element 3, asillustrated.

I .To assemble the button 2 to itscarryingmedium 1 it is merely'necessary to enter the shank 16 of the attaching member3 through a-preformed aperture in the carrying medium 1 until the base 1'7, rests against one face of the carrying medium. In that position, the head 18 on the shank 16 will protrude at the opposite side of the carrying medium 1. Then the button may be engaged with. the attaching member 3 by pressing it toward the attaching member 3 so that the head 18 will engage. the open end of the boss 3 of the clutch member 7. Thereafter, if the attaching memberB is heldagainst movement and the body part of the button and the clutch membenthereby moving the reduced portion 13 of the boss '8 into engagementv with the inwardly turned portion'of the boss 5, as shown in Figure 1. In this position of the parts the button is locked and cannot become accidentally separated even though pressure may be exerted upon the installation in such a manner that the button and attaching member will be moved toward each other. It will be noted that the neck of the attaching member is made of sufiicient length to permit lost motion ofthe attaching member 3 relative tothe clutch member 7: This is to'prevent disengagement of the parts accidentally because, as will be noted from Figure 1, when the parts are assembled the carrying medium 1 is not compressed between the base 17 of the attachingv member 3 and the end of the boss 5. This is essential in the construction of the installation as illustrated because during detachment-of the button it'is'necessary to permit the carrying mediumto be compressed by the boss 5 so that. the desired relative movement between the boss 5 and the boss 8 may be accomplished.

In order to separate the button from the attaching member there must be relative movement of the clutchmember away-fromthe attaching memher after the boss 5- of: the button has been moved toward the attaching member. Since the clutch member-is not exposed afterthe button has been installed, this relative movement of parts cannot take place in any accidental. manner. In order to permit separation of the button from the attaching member, I haveprovided two apertures 18-18 in the back plate 4 (Figs; '1, 2 and 3) to permit insertionof'a suitable tool for engagement withthe-clutch memberl. It should be understoodthat one or-more than two apertures'may be used according'to theconstruction of the tool.

I have found that a simple tool for accomplishing the-desired result may be constructed with two prongs- 19-19 (Fig; 6) each of which is adapted to engage in the corresponding aperture 18 in the back plate 4. A portion onlyof the tool 20 is shown in Fig. 6 and it will be noted that the prongs 19-19- are spaced from each other the same distance as the apertures 18'18. These prongs 19'19 are bent at right angles togthe general plane of the blade of the tool and the endportion ofthe tool iscut outto span the boss 5 and to-contact therewith so that when the end of the tool isinserted beneath the buton the. cut out-portion will act as a bearingagainst the boss 5';-whereby when the tool is rotated the prongs 19-19 will find their wayinto the apertures 18'-18. Therefore, separation of'the button from the'attaching member-may be readily and quick: ly accomplished by inserting the prongs 19'-19 of the tool throughthe apertures 18-18 and pressing upon the front plate. During-this operation the-clutch member-isengaged by the' ends ofthe prongs 1919*and is heldagainstmovement while thepressure-on the frontplate 6 moves-the front and back plat'e'membersof thebutton toward the carrying medium 1 against the pressure of: the spring arms 10, as best illustrated in Fig; 2. A study of Fig. 2' will show-those skilled in the art that the boss 8 is now free to expand and pull away from engagementwith the shank of the attachingm'ember 3, thereby releasing the parts. When the tool'isremovedthe clutch" member returns to its normal position.

Myimproved fastener installation is simple in construction andby using'the' proper tool separation of the parts-is-avery-easy'matter. Furthermore, the button as illustrated is formed from three parts which are relatively easy to manufacture and assemble and the attaching member may beofbne-piece construction. The apertures 18-l8 are concealed and therefore it is not apparent to the uninitiated how the button can be removed.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited thereby, because the scope of my invention is best defined by the following claims.

Iclairn: V

1. A fastener installation comprising, in combination, a carrying medium, a fastener member located at one side of the carrying medium and having an apertured hollow shank opening toward. saidcarrying medium, an attaching memher on the opposite side of said carrying medium having a shank passing through the carrying medium and entering said apertured hollow shank, a movable clutch member enclosed in said fastener member and having yieldable portions locked with the shank of the attaching member by the shank of the fastener member, and said fastener. member having a concealed aperture through which a. tool may be inserted to engage said clutch member to cause relative movement of the clutch member and the fastener member. to permit separationv of the fastener member from the attaching member.

2,..A button of the, class described comprising, in combination, a body part comprising a shank portion and a flange atone end thereof, atop plate secured to said fiangein spaced. relation thereto, a clutch member having a yieldable shank extending into the shank of the body part and having a flange located in the space between said top plate and the flange of the body part and being movable relative thereto axially of the button, and locking means on the shank of said body part cooperating with the' yieldable shank of the clutch to prevent expansion of said yieldable shank and an aperture in said body part permitting. insertion of a tool to engage saidclutch and cause relative movement of the clutchmemher and body part to remove the locking. means from lockin engagement with the said yieldable shankof the clutch for the purposes described.

3. A detachable button of the class described comprising, in combination, a hollowv member having a. shank open atone end-to receive an attaching element, a clutch member located within .said hollow member and movable axially therein for engagement with and disengagementrfrom the attaching element, and said hollow member having. a concealed aperture for reception of a tool adapted to cause relative movement of the partsof said button to unlock. the same from said attaching element.

. 4-. A detachable button of the class described comprising, in combination, a hollow member having a shank open at one end to receive an attaching element, a clutch member located withinsaidhollow member and having an expansible and contractible shank located within the shank of. the hollow. member and movable axially therein, means on theshank of the hollow member adapted'to lock the shank of the clutch against expansion in one axial position thereof, and said hollow member having a concealed aperture for reception of a tool adapted to cause relative movement of the parts of said button to unlock the same from said attaching element.

5. A detachable button of the class described comprising, in. combination, a hollow member having a shank open at one end to receive an attaching element, 'a clutch member located within said hollow member and having an expansiblefand contractible shank located within the shank of the hollow member and movable axially therein, means on the shank of the hollow member adapted to lock the shank of the clutch against expansion in one axial position thereof, spring means normally pressing said clutch member toward locking position, and said hollow member having a concealed aperture for reception of a tool adapted to cause relative movementof the parts of said button to unlock the same from said attaching element.

6; A detachable button of the class described comprising, in combination, a body part having a hollow shank and an outwardly extending flange dished'in cross-section, a top plate secured to said flange and spaced from the bottom of the dished portion thereof, and an axially movable clutch member assembled within said body part and having a yieldable hollow boss arranged concentrically with said shank, said boss having an open end to receive and hold an attaching element, and

having a flange mounted for movement between the parts of said body part, boss-engaging means on said shank to prevent expansion of said boss in one position thereof, and said dished flange having an aperture to admit a tool for engagementwith the flange of theclutch member for the purposes described. f

7. A detachable button of the class described comprising, in combination, a body part having a hollow shank and an outwardly extending flange dished in cross-section, a top plate secured to saidflange andspaced from the bottom of the dished portion thereof, and an axially movable clutch member assembled within said body part and having a yieldable hollow boss arranged sion of said boss in one position thereof, and,

said dished flange having an aperture to admit a tool for engagement with the flange of the clutch member for the purposes described and a plurality of spring fingers formed from the flange of said clutch member and normally pressing said boss into locking engagement with the boss-engaging means on said shank.

8. A fastener member of the class described comprising, in combination, a hollow body part having an imperforate front face, an axially movable member in said body part having means for engagement with an attaching element, locking means on said body part for locking said means in engagement with said attaching element in one position thereof and said body part having an aperture in the rear face thereof for passage of an operating end of a tool for the purposes described.

9. A fastener member of the class described comprising, in combination, a hollow body part having an imperforate front face, an axially movable member in said body part having yieldable means for-engagement'with an attaching element, locking means on said body part for looking said yieldable means in engagement with said attaching element in one position thereof and 100 said body part having an aperture in the rear face thereof for passageof an operating end of a tool for the purposes described.

10. A fastener member of the class described comprising, in combination, a hollow body part 105 having an imperforate front face, an axially movable member in said body part having means for engagement with an attaching element, locking means on said body part for locking said means in engagement with said attaching element in one position thereof and said body part having an aperture in the rear face thereof for passage of an operating end of a tool for the purposes described and spring means integral with said axially movable member and normally pressingit 15 into locking position.

.GEORGE A. HOLMES. 

